£100,000 Compensation for Fibromyalgia after Accident at Work

How We Helped

We approached Ms R’s employers and said they were responsible for maintaining the step that she’d slipped on. We argued that the step was in poor condition and should have been inspected and fixed.

In addition, we stated that the company should have taken account of the cold icy conditions and gritted the step to prevent her falling. They denied responsibility for the accident at first, saying she should have known the steps were dangerous and taken more care.

Nevertheless, we continued our arguments and pressed them to disclose their inspection and maintenance records and risk assessment. They didn’t respond on time and so we had to threaten issuing Court proceedings against them. As a result of the arguments we raised, the company did eventually admit fault for the accident.

We instructed a team of medical experts to examine Ms R, including a consultant in pain medicine, a neurosurgeon and a psychiatrist. The pain consultant concluded that our client was suffering from Fibromyalgia as a direct result of the accident.

The neurosurgeon, meanwhile, examined our client’s scans and x-rays and determined she was suffering from some degenerative changes in her spine. The symptoms had been brought forward because of her injury, and she was experiencing them five years earlier than she would have done had it not been for the accident.

He fully accepted the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia caused by the accident at work and felt that the condition had also made the back pain much worse.

The psychiatrist diagnosed that our client had suffered anxiety and depression because of the accident but that her symptoms had resolved thanks to the psychological treatment she’d had.

The experts were optimistic that with further treatment, Ms R should be able to find a new job which was less physically demanding.

We also assessed the financial impact of Ms R’s accident so this could be included in our claim, which included loss of earnings, treatment costs, travel expenses and the cost of care and assistance.

It was great to hear that, with the help of therapy, Ms R was able to resolve her symptoms of depression and anxiety, meaning she was able to mentally move on with her life. She was able to begin her journey of healing mentally from this difficult and traumatising accident and the effects it’s had on her life, which is certainly a step in the right direction.

The Outcome

Ms R was awarded £100,000 in compensation, following negotiations with the Defendants in a Joint Settlement Meeting.

The settlement meeting was welcomed by Ms R, as it meant we could settle the case in a less formal environment and avoid the stress of having to go to Court. This approach also meant the case could be settled more quickly.

Everyone involved in this case was pleased with the outcome. We felt that it accurately reflected the mental and physical damage that Ms R had sustained, at the hands of her employer. After the hard work and effort we had put into the claim, this compensation was a very good result.

Our Personal Injury Solicitors always try and make things as accessible as possible regardless of legal knowledge, which we did in the case of Ms R. We answered any questions she had about the process, so that she understood what was happening, without having the added stress of confusion and misunderstandings.

Also, by making sure that the claim was settled outside of Court, we were able to relieve Ms R of a significant amount of stress, which is a good example of how hard we work to ensure that our clients feel as safe and comfortable as possible throughout the process.

Overall, we were really happy with the compensation Ms R was given, feeling it reflected what had happened to her and the long-lasting effects it had had on her mental and physical health.